Senior HR Compliance Partner, Employee Relations Operations

Overview

The Senior HR Compliance Partner strengthens enterprise compliance by operationalizing scalable processes and maintaining clear, accessible documentation across the HR Compliance and Employee Relations function. The role promotes consistent practices across HQ, retail, and distribution centers and helps ensure policies, procedures, and guidance serve as the enterprise source of truth.

Working in close partnership with the Director of HR Compliance & Employee Relations, Legal, HR Business Partners, and Operations, this role focuses on prevention, consistency, and risk intelligence rather than case execution.

The Senior HR Compliance Partner enables scalable compliance practices that support a fair, equitable, and legally compliant workplace as REI continues to grow in complexity and geographic reach.

Responsibilities and Qualifications

Compliance Program Design & Oversight

• Implement and maintain enterprise employee compliance programs aligned with applicable employment laws and regulations (e.g., EEO, ADA, FMLA, wage & hour, OSHA, I9).
• Establish and manage compliance calendars, required reviews, audits, and documentation standards.
• Support audit readiness by maintaining accurate records, controls, and evidence of compliance activities.
• Partner with Legal and the Director to monitor legislative and regulatory changes and assess organizational impact.

Risk Identification & Monitoring

• Analyze trends across employee relations cases, investigations, complaints, and audits to identify systemic compliance risks.
• Develop early warning indicators and dashboards to surface emerging risk areas and recurring issues.
• Provide regular insights and recommendations to the Director of Compliance & Employee Relations to inform prioritization and decision making.
• Support preparation of materials and reporting for senior leadership and governance forums as needed.

Policy & Training Enablement

• Conduct compliance reviews of employment policies and practices to ensure alignment with legal requirements and enterprise standards.
• Partner with HR COEs and Legal to recommend updates to policies, guidelines, and practices based on regulatory changes or risk trends.
• Define compliance-related training requirements and partner with Learning & Development to support delivery and tracking.
• Create tools, templates, and guidance that enable HRBPs and leaders to operate compliantly and consistently.

Cross Functional Partnership & Enablement

• Serve as a key compliance subject matter partner to HRBPs, Employee Relations, HR Operations, and Legal.
• Provide consultation and guidance on compliance considerations related to workforce actions, programs, and initiatives.
• Support the Director of Compliance & Employee Relations in interactions with regulatory agencies, audits, or inquiries, as needed.
• Contribute to enterprise initiatives focused on workforce stability, equity, and risk mitigation.

Scope & Decision Making

• Operates independently within established compliance frameworks and escalation protocols.
• Exercises judgment in identifying, analyzing, and escalating compliance risks to the Director.
• Does not routinely conduct employee relations investigations or serve as a primary case handler.
• Influences outcomes through expertise, data, and partnership rather than direct authority.

Governance, Process Optimization & Knowledge Management

• Maintain governance standards, operating procedures, and documentation priorities that support consistent employee compliance and ER operations across the enterprise.
• Lead process improvement efforts that simplify fragmented practices and create scalable, repeatable workflows across HQ, retail, and distribution center environments.
• Partner with Legal, ER, HR, and Operations to maintain employee handbook content, policy guidance, and related documentation on a regular review cadence.
• Support knowledge management practices, including centralized documentation, SharePoint/intranet resources, version control, and “single source of truth” governance.
• Identify opportunities to use AI for process optimization, automation or other tools to improve process efficiency, documentation quality, and compliance operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Legal Studies, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5 years+ project/program management experience leading cross-functional HR initiatives from planning through implementation.
• Experience building and maintaining Employee Relations operational processes (e.g., employee handbook updates, SOPs, SLAs, and governance).
• Experience developing HR Compliance and Employee Relations dashboards, KPIs, and executive reporting.
• Experience managing enterprise compliance calendars and implementing new HR compliance programs.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. employment laws and regulatory requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting or partnering closely with Employee Relations or Legal teams.
• Background in compliance audits, risk assessments, or regulatory response.
• Proven analytical skills with experience using data to identify trends and inform decisions.
• Comfort working in ambiguity and influencing without formal authority.
• Experience managing policy, handbook, or employee-facing documentation review cycles.
• Experience with knowledge management platforms such as SharePoint, intranet sites, or similar documentation repositories.
• Experience leveraging AI and automation to improve HR processes, documentation, and operational efficiency.
• Experience creating or maintaining a centralized “source of truth” for policies, procedures, or operational guidance.
• Experience operating in a multistate, multisite, or retail environment.

Closing

At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all. We are committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization. We know that there's strength in our diversity – that each employee brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. Every day you are driving change, fostering a culture of respect, and knowing you're backed by benefits that support your whole life.

To work towards this commitment and fulfill our brand promise of inspiring and enabling a life outside for everyone, we seek employees who demonstrate different ways of working, create a sense of belonging, and actively listen and learn.

Pay Transparency

We are committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. As required by applicable Pay Transparency laws, REI provides a range of compensation for roles that may be hired in locations under these requirements. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include a wide array of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic location or other relevant factors.

REI offers all regular employees a generous employee discount, access to health benefits, a retirement savings plan and accrued time off. Click here for a detailed overview of benefits plans by employee profile.

Pay Range

$98,300.00 - $157,400.00 per year